The fact that children do not eat is one of the biggest nightmares of parents and everyone who cares for children. This process, which puts parents stressed, is also very wearisome for children. After a while, eating hours begin to turn into torture for everyone. Before you worry about children’s appetites, you can apply the ideas of Expert Dietician Aslıhan Küçük Budak.
WRONG MEAL TIMING
Having a snack and a main meal close to each other can cause loss of appetite in children. Sitting at the table before the child is hungry reduces the food consumption in the meal. For this reason, at least 2-2.5 hours should be placed between meals in children with anorexia, and care should be taken that the child is not constantly snacking. However, light snacks should be prepared as the intensity of the meal consumed during snacks can also affect the hunger time.
OVER CONSUMPTION OF FRUIT AND MILK
Although fruit and milk are an important part of a healthy diet in children, excessive consumption of these foods can reduce the child’s appetite for other foods and cause malnutrition. Since fruit and milk are foods that children love to consume, they may miss the amount of consumption, and parents may ignore portion control on the grounds that these foods are healthy. 1 portion per day for children aged 6-12 months, 2 portions per day for children aged 12-24 months, 2-3 portions per day for older ages is sufficient. In the consumption of milk in children, 1-2 glasses of milk a day should not be exceeded.
READY SNACKS
Prepared and processed foods such as chips, chocolate and biscuits contain high amounts of fat and sugar. Consumption of such snacks negatively affects the child’s appetite. Instead of giving your child ready-made snacks, you can offer healthy alternatives such as homemade cakes and cookies, and you can give them in between meals by paying attention to the portion.
FILLING THE STOMACH WITH LIQUID
Children’s stomach volumes are quite small. Consumption of liquid foods such as water, fruit juice and buttermilk just before or during the meal covers a significant part of the stomach volume, causing satiety and may reduce food consumption. However, it may also be beneficial to leave soup consumption for the last meal in children with anorexia.
SENSITIVITY TO HUNGER SIGNALS
Trying to force feed a child who does not want to eat may cause the child to withdraw from food. Say “don’t continue if you don’t feel hungry”, show your sensitivity to his hunger signals and back off. Yes, your child may not be able to get enough nutrients at that meal, but after a short time, when he is hungry, he will discover the necessity of being full at the meal and will learn to listen to his own body better.